Evaporating and cooling apparatus



(No Model.)

E. AYERS.` Y YEmporatingg and Cooling Apparatus. No. 241,

587.4 Patented May I7, |881.

N PFTEHS, Pham-Lilhugnpher, wnhingmn, u C.

PATENT OFFICE.

'ELIAS AYERS, OF EATON, OHIO.

sPEcIFIcA-.TION forming part of Letter EVAPORATING AND COOLING APPARATUS.

s Patent No. 241,587, dated May 1'7, 1881.

Application filed July 14, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that` I, ELIAS AYERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eaton, in the county of Preble and State of Ohio, have invented new and useful Improvements in Evaporating and Cooling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a sorghum-evaporating pan heated by steamand a molassescooler adapted to be attached thereto.

The evaporator consists of a series of pans divided into three compartments, the two end ones of which are heated `by steam-pipes cast or otherwise secured on the exterior of the pan-bottoms and embedded beneathV in nonconducting material, while the middle compartment is not heated,but has its bottom exposed to the air, so that it serves for the collection of scum. The end compartments may have one or more divisions provided with gates to control the passage o1"` the sirup. By attaching the steam-pipes onto the under surface the bottom of the pan is left free and unobstructed, while the heat is conned by the non-conducting material, so that it will be utilized with the least possible waste. In the first compartment I provide a skimmer consisting of a pivoted plate 0r scoop having a suitable handle, whereby the scum may be removed from the sirup and caused to flow into an adjacent trough. From the last compartment the sirup flows into a spiral trough of suflicient length to cool the molasses. This cooler is mounted on a suitable' base and surrounded by a wire-gauze attached to a wooden cap, so that the sirup may be kept free from ies and other insects.

In order that my invention may be fully understood, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view or plan of my evaporator, the positions of the steam-coils-being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1.

The present illustration shows the evaporator consisting of five compartments or pans, 1 2 3 4 5, connected by gates a a2 a3 a4. The pans 1, 2, 4, and 5 are heated from a steampipe, B, connected with coils B B2 B4 B5, extending beneath all the `compartments excepting the middle one, 3, which is adapted to collect the scum, and consequently is not heated. The pipes B B2 B4 B5 are cast or otherwise secured tothe bottom of the pans in such a manner that the said bottom forms part ofthe pipes-i. e., there is but one thickness of metal between the steam in the pipes and the sirup in the pans. The respective coils are provided with cocks or valves b b2 b4 D5, so that the heat can be applied to or shut ofi' from the pans separately, as desired.

C represents a skimmer applied to the first compartment, which is adapted to deliver the skimmings into a trough, D. This skimmer is pivoted to supports c and operated by crank C. A spring, c', holds it inits delivering position.

In order to contne the heat, the coils are set in a bed, E, of plaster, mortar, clay, or other non-conducting material, the effect or" which is to cause the whole ofthe heat to be applied to the bottoms of the pans.

The pipes or coils are cast, riveted, or otherwise secured to the exterior of the pan-bottoms, so that the inner or upper surface of the bottoms is left clear and unobstructed for the flow of the sirup. A pipe, F, conducts the sirup from the last compartment, 5, to theupper end of a spiral trough, G, which is made of sheet metal and serves as a cooler for the molasses. The sirup finally exits through the pipe H. This spiral trough is supported by frames I, secured to base J, and ythe whole is covered and protected from flies and dirt by wire gauze or cloth cage K and wooden cap L.

In operation the juice is first run into the compartment 1. The steam, being let in at the back ofthe first compartment, 1, at b', as shown in Fig. 1, throws the skimmings in opposition to the tlow of the juice and toward the trough D, into which it is delivered by the skimmer C. In the second compartment, 2, the steam is let in at the front, as shown at b2, tending to throw the scum back in the same direction that the juice is flowing and toward the scum-compartment 3, under which there is no heat, so that the juice will not boil therein. The heat is applied to the fourth compartment, 4, at its rear end, tendin gto throw the scum forward toward the scum-compartment 3. To the finishing-compartment 5 the heat is applied at the front, us shown et b5, and from this' compartment the sirup lows through pipe F into cooling-trough G, from which it finally escapes through pipe H. The exposure of the trough G andthe fact of its 'being made ot' sheet metal cause the most effectual cooling of the molasses.

Having thus described my invention7 the following is what I claim as new therein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. An evaporating pan constructed with pipes or passegesB on its bottom and resting on non-conductingmaterial, so as to embed the cage K L.

ELIAS AYERS. Witnesses:

SIMEON HOFFMAN1 i THos. J. LARsH. 

